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The politeness of an entire culture cannot be evaluated by only two or three kids who think they rule everything around them. I know a lot of polite people in Quebec but some of them are not. I'll never say that Quebecers don't know about respect only because of two or three people...

Therefore language barriers keeps most foreigners on the perimeter of an argument unless their Japanese is excellent, and I mean excellent.

I agree completely. And I just love how people keep playing this fact down.

Anyway, just like anywhere in the world where ever you go there will always be rude people. I can't coun't the amount of times I have been cut in front of by an obachan while waiting in line a a supermarket, but I can also tell you some very kind people when all I was buying was a pack of chewing gum and they had a whole basket full of shopping and let me go in front of them. There are always good, bad people where ever you go, but how you handle the situation will be a big factor in how the situation will turn out.

I can't speak for other areas of Japan, but at least around here, people seem to have no qualms about making fun of someone's weight.
And now with the government-sanctioned discrimination against slightly overweight people, and a new politically-correct way to make fun of slightly overweight people ("metabo!"), it's only going to get worse

I can't speak for other areas of Japan, but at least around here, people seem to have no qualms about making fun of someone's weight.
And now with the government-sanctioned discrimination against slightly overweight people, and a new politically-correct way to make fun of slightly overweight people ("metabo!"), it's only going to get worse

If it makes for a healthier nation, I am for it. And I don't think you need to be politically correct to make jest on someones weight here. I far as I can remember having someone comment on someones elses weight did not need the governmental policy and the new found word of "metabo" to do so. Nothing has changed in my eyes, it is just another thing to laugh at. Which is another topic in its self.

In some cases what used to seem rude(past tense, my oppinion has changed quite a bit) to me is the norm here, eg . When eating ramen it is fine to slurp them up , but go overseas and you will a lot of places will find this act rude and inconsiderate. This is just one example of the many things that a lot of foriegners have a hard time wrapping their heads around.

I have to concur with FrustratedDave's comments somewhat. My wife seems to think though, that people are progresively getting ruder in Japan (and not just in Tokyo. Of course, I could say that for other places as well, but I have encountered some exceptions. I have met some of the nicest people in Strasbourg, France (though I'd have to say Paris seems to attract some of the worst, both French visitors and residents). Some areas in some countries tend to be better known for dealing with people politely.

Japan often has a reputation for having very polite people, but recently I tend not to meet them. Of course, you can argue it's a very 'surface' politeness even when it does exist, but even that would be an improvement over what happened at that festival.

Back to Cash's linguistic question, I suppose "you ****** old woman why are you bothering me?" would have been a better literal translation, but the translation wasn't the main point of this thread (which you often seem to forget in other threads as well). As to the offered Japanese 'interuption' expression, if you have a better suggestion, please offer it (rather than just saying that won't work and offering nothing). It's difficult to say what will work when you have never tried it yourself.

The wisest and most concise comment on the politeness situation I have ever heard in all the time I have been here came from a Canadian fellow who had been in Japan six months. His astuteness and perspicacity are a large part of the reason I think time in Japan is such a poor indicator of anything other than how long a person has been in Japan.

He said, "The Japanese are polite in their sock feet."

If anyone needs that explained to them, I will be happy to elucidate at a later time.

Tokyoites can be really rude. Someone told me about one obasan on a bicycle who hit another obasan in the back with ther bike then complain that the walking obasan shouldn't have been in her way!
The Japanese have a saying, "Tokyo is not Japan."

Originally Posted by gaijinalways

(though I'd have to say Paris seems to attract some of the worst, both French visitors and residents).

Funny, in France the French say "Les Parisien ne sont pas Fran&#231;aises" (The Parisians aren't French). My relatives always told me that if I was to meet real French and French hospitality, I had to go to villages, small towns, etc.

Hm, I must say, lately, well, lets say the latest month to be more exact I've actually done a truthful attempt to really know Japanese people on different forums and I must say I never managed to meet a rude Japanese, how ever they can be a bit distant or impersonal and a few a bit close minded ... but never directly unkind or rude and most are very nice and warm hearted IMO ...

Hm, I must say, lately, well, lets say the latest month to be more exact I've actually done a truthful attempt to really know Japanese people on different forums and I must say I never managed to meet a rude Japanese, how ever they can be a bit distant or impersonal and a few a bit close minded ... but never directly unkind or rude and most are very nice and warm hearted IMO ...

I've never been to Antarctica but I've seen photos on the web and I must say that it isn't nearly as cold as I thought it would be.